Before you start looking for a spouse you must first get your objectives in order.  Use this first part as a check off list, so that you know what things you are looking for in a wife.
1. What religious aspects are you looking for?  What level of religion are you willing to accept. Are you looking for someone who is actively making an effort to practice Islam, are you looking for someone who has watered down Islam, are you looking for some one who is knowledgeable in general?  What ever you are looking for, it is always a bad idea to go for the sister who has watered down Islam.  Since the woman will run  the home in your absents and raise the children it could be detrimental to be married to an individual who wants to take shorts cuts in her Islam, as this can be a quick route to the hell fire and sometimes divorce.
2. What physical aspects are you looking for? Do you prefer for someone from a particular nationality, or are you open to any practicing Muslim sister?  If you are a tall man are you looking for someone who is the same height or is this inconsequential? Make a list of what you are looking for but remember two things, great looks in a sister does not guarantee that she is a good practicing Muslim and vice versa. Lastly, don't make your list so stringent that you weed 99% of the women out.
3. What type of financial situation are you looking for? Are you looking for someone who comes from the same financial background that you do?  Will you marry a sister who wants to continue working, but not to contributed to the bills? You should also be concerned with the type of work she does, if you are considering this. If she has a job that requires her to do things which are not allowed in Islam such are bartending, being alone with men etc. you will need to look for a sister who is willing to find another source of work, although it is better for her to say home and not work at all!
           4. Where are you willing to live? Regardless of the nationality of the person, it is possible that the person you marry will want to have some say in living arrangements.
5. Her Islamic attire. Some sisters were jeans and a shirt in public. Many scholars feel that this is the clothing of the kuffar . What type of attire do you expect your wife to wear?
6. Are you looking for someone who is divorced, never married, widowed, virgin etc.?

7. What age group are you interested in?